Billionaire Undercover - J. S. Scott Page 0,18

thoughts of dying.

I reached my hand out, and it landed on Hudson’s rock-hard abdomen.

Fight it, dammit! I can’t panic every time it’s dark outside!

Hudson’s big hand enveloped my smaller one, and he threaded our fingers together. “What’s wrong, Taylor?” he asked, sounding worried.

There was something about that simple human touch that made me feel more grounded, more connected.

Now that I knew what Hudson looked like, his image had replaced the horrific memories the moment he’d taken my hand, and his presence assured me that I wasn’t going back there again.

“I’m sorry. I think I’ve developed some sort of…fear of the dark,” I answered, trying not to sound as apprehensive as I’d felt a few moments ago. “I’m better now.”

“Fuck! I really should have thought about that. I’ll turn the light back on.”

“Don’t,” I requested as I squeezed his hand. “I really am okay now.”

Hudson started to circle my palm with his thumb, and I deescalated a little bit more.

“You sure?” he questioned skeptically.

“I’m positive,” I insisted. “Just…don’t leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Taylor. I promise.”

My breathing slowed, and for some reason, I wasn’t really embarrassed because Hudson saw my fear. Probably because I sensed that he completely understood it. “Thank you,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes.

I fell asleep just like that, clinging to Hudson’s hand like he was my lifeline to sanity.

Honestly, right now, maybe he was…

Taylor

When I woke again, it wasn’t pitch black anymore .

Not that the bedroom on the aircraft was exactly flooded with light. There was some kind of blackout glass on the window, but I could actually see the room without any lights on.

“You’re awake,” Hudson said huskily from the door.

I sat up slowly, and sighed.

Seriously, the guy looked the main character in some kind of sexy female wet dream, and I couldn’t force myself to look away.

If I’m still hallucinating, or dreaming, I’m going to get every second of pleasure I can get before I wake up again.

Hudson had one shoulder resting on the doorjamb, and a very large mug of coffee in his hand. There was a small smile on his lips, and God, those eyes! He was surveying me like he wanted to know everything about me with a single glance.

He’d shaved, and I couldn’t decide if I was thrilled or disappointed about that. On one hand, the short beard and the scruffy wild look had suited him, but on the other, he looked equally amazing without it. He had a strong, perfectly sculpted jawline and face.

My eyes quickly scanned his body. He was dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans, and a navy-blue T-shirt that hugged all of those glorious muscles in his upper body.

Well, good morning to you, too, handsome!

He swept those gorgeous eyes over my body, like he was trying to make sure I was all in one piece. His smile broadened a little in approval. “You look better,” he observed.

“I feel better, but I have one small problem.”

He grinned as he asked, “You have to piss?”

I nodded hard. “I think it’s all those IV fluids.”

While I definitely wasn’t shy, I was a little embarrassed to ask him to help me get to the bathroom to pee, but rationally, I knew I wasn’t going to make it on my own steam.

He sauntered into the room, put his mug on the side table, and grabbed my IV bag from the small stand. “It’s definitely the IV fluids,” he confirmed as he lifted me in his arms. “I’m actually surprised you didn’t have this little problem earlier. You’ve been pumped with fluids for hours now.”

I didn’t realize how close to naked I was until I had to yank my borrowed T-shirt over my upper thighs as he’d lifted me up. I’d forgotten that I wasn’t sleeping in shorts and a tank, and I felt even more ridiculous as my cheeks flushed after I’d briefly flashed him.

When in the hell had I become the kind of woman who blushed about anything?

When somebody needed to see a bathroom as much as I did right now, it shouldn’t matter how, or under what circumstances, I got there.

Normally, I probably wouldn’t care, but there was something about Hudson that made me feel a little…off-balance.

I reminded myself that it was nothing he hadn’t seen before, but at least when he’d taken me into the shower, I’d been out. I was awake now, and perfectly aware of how bizarre my situation with Hudson was at the moment.

I didn’t really know him, but he was the most important